


Circle

by Fiery_Mullet (orphan_account)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Break Up, Keith (Voltron) Whump, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Partner Betrayal, Post-Break Up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-08-10 23:46:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16464605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Fiery_Mullet
Summary: And just when Keith thought he had found a love that would last, it slipped through his fingers like sand.





	Circle

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Shklance_Beef_Sandwich](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shklance_Beef_Sandwich/gifts).



The sound of engine that filled the parking lot died down as a man in a customized red Galaxy Garrison uniform got off his hoverbike. He walked towards the hangar, where 5 magnificent lion-shaped warships stood and stopped on his tracks, looking up and giving a little smile at the red one. “Hey, Red. It’s been a while.”

 

He then moved along and stopped right in front of the biggest of the lot. The Black Lion. Seeing its particle barrier was activated, Keith smiled bitterly.

 

“You saved my life again. Thank you, Black Lion.” Moving forward, he touched his forehead against its protective shield. “I’m here now.”

 

At those words, the dome dispersed completely, allowing access to its rightful pilot. As if right on cue he heard footsteps coming from the main building. He turned around to look but the only thing he managed to see was a green blur before arms and legs were wrapped around him.

 

“Keith! You’re back! We missed you so much!!!” Pidge sobbed, tightening her hold on him.

 

“Whoa, easy Pidge, he just got out of rehab.” Hunk said, before jumping in to join the hug.

 

“You two are way too emotional about this.” Lance sobbed, then promptly hugged his fellow cadets.  


“Honestly, am I the only one who acts my age around here.” Allura sighed, before hugging her paladin family as well.

 

Smiling, Keith patted the back of whoever it was he could reach. He could no longer tell. “Thanks guys. Glad to be back.”

 

From behind them, Keith could see James leaning on the doorframe. He smiled, gave a friendly salute, then walked away. Keith chuckled.

 

However, his grin faded when another person with a floating prosthetic arm came in. His brow creased, a scowl marring his beautiful face. Sensing how tense his body had become, his friends let him go, and after seeing what- or _who_ \- it was that caused his discomfort, they backed away.

 

“Hello, Keith. It’s good to see you’ve fully recovered.”

 

Keith looked down, not wanting to meet the other man’s gaze. At the corner of his eye he saw something glinting, reflecting the hangar’s lights. It was a plain gold ring that he knew only too well. Because just months ago, he too, wore another one that looked just like it. On his left ring finger, where it was no longer there.

 

*******

 

A year ago…

 

They had just finished a meeting with the Voltron coalition when Shiro approached him. “Hey Keith, are you free tonight?”

 

“Yeah. The usual?” Keith’s smile was soft, his voice gentle and a little hopeful.

 

“Yup. Meet you at the parking lot later then. Same time as always.”

 

“Yeah. Okay.”

 

His gaze followed the older man’s retreating back until Shiro went out the door.

 

“I see someone’s got a date tonight.” Keith jumped at Pidge’s voice.

 

Pouting, Keith replied. “We’re just going stargazing.”

 

“Yup. Typical thing for couples. Date it is, then.” Lance smirked. “I should know. I’ve dated a lot of women who-“

 

Lance stopped midway when Allura gave him a Look, making him promptly shut his mouth.

 

 _‘Ah, if it was going to be_ this _easy to shut him up, I wish they had gotten together much sooner.’_ Keith sighed.

 

-

 

Keith went to the hangar twenty minutes earlier than their appointed time, as always. And five minutes later Shiro arrived as well. But rather than head towards where Keith was standing- where the hoverbikes were parked- he looked the Red Paladin’s way then jerked his head towards the buggies.

 

Keith mouthed “What? Why?”

 

Shiro simply smiled and walked towards one of the Garrison vehicles.

 

Shrugging, Keith trotted and followed him anyway. Shiro hopped into the driver’s side as Keith got on the seat beside him. He turned on the ignition then looked the younger pilot’s way. “Ready?”

 

“Why a car tho? We usually go by hoverbikes.” Keith’s head tilted to one side.

 

“You’ll know when we get there.” Shiro winked and drove on.

 

They stopped at the edge of a cliff, where the darkness blanketing the desert, the air free of city smog, and the cloudless night sky gave them a spectacular view of the stars.

 

“No matter how many times I come here, I never get bored of it. It’s always as breathtaking as ever.”

 

“Hey, Keith. You think you can count how many stars we can see right now?” Shiro asked, looking up at the sky.

 

“That’s like asking me to count how many grains of sand are out here. Why would you want me to do that?” Keith chuckled.

 

“Because that’s how many new memories I want to make with you from now on.” Shiro’s hand reached for his, intertwining their fingers and giving it a quick, tight squeeze. “I want us to make so many it’s impossible to count.”

 

Keith looked at Shiro, speechless, as the other man looked his way and gently smiled at him as he let go of his hand. The next moment, Keith’s eyes grew wide as the man stepped in front of him and got down on one knee. He opened a small, red box, and in it, there was a plain gold ring. He extended this to Keith, who was frozen in place and unable to speak.

 

“The day you stole my car, you also stole my heart. Now I want you to hold on to it forever and never give it back. Keith, will you marry me?”

 

Keith blinked. Twice.

 

“Is that… why we rode the buggy today?” Keith mentally kicked himself. Of all the words that had to come out of his mouth. _‘Keith, you dumbass.’_

 

Shiro’s hearty laughter shattered the stillness of the night. Keith shortly followed. After they both calmed down, Shiro sighed. “So what is it? Is it a yes or a no? The old timer’s knee is starting to hurt, you know.”

 

Keith swiftly got on his knees, wrapped his arms around the bigger man and claimed his lips. Shiro returned his kisses with more intensity, wrapping his prosthetic arm around the younger boy’s waist while his other hand held on to the ring. As they parted, both panting, Keith cupped his face as he looked up at him and met his gaze.

 

“I can’t imagine a future without you. Yes, Shiro, I want to marry you.”

 

-

 

Keith’s eyelids felt heavy. So did the rest of his body. He opened his eyes, only to find his vision blurred with moisture until he blinked it off a few more times. There was a mask over his nose and mouth, tubes attached to his arms, chest, and bandages wrapped around his head. The only sound he could hear in the room was a steady beep coming from the machine beside his bed.

 

He could feel someone’s hand on his, so he looked to his side and saw his mother sitting on a chair, asleep, her head resting on the edge of his bed. Behind her, Pidge and Allura were leaning on each other, dozing on the sofa. Hunk was snoring on a chair and Lance was sleeping in an odd position on the windowsill, drool sliding down the edge of his mouth.

 

He squeezed his Krolia’s hand, prompting her to rouse immediately. She looked at him with gentle eyes, and squeezed his hand back, before letting it go to tuck loose strands of hair behind his ears.

 

“Are you hurt anywhere? Do you need anything?” She asked. Her voice woke up the rest of the occupants in his hospital room.

 

“Keith! You’re awake!” Pidge squealed, as his fellow paladins turned their full attention to him, relief visible in their faces.

 

“Dude, you were out for a month…” Hunk muttered in astonishment.

 

“Welcome back, man…” Lance chuckled.

 

“Shiro… How is he…?” Keith’s voice came out weak and hoarse.

 

Face softening into a tender grin, Allura told him “He’s fine. Thanks to you.”

 

The last thing Keith remembered before waking up at the hospital was a battle with another robeast. Just when they thought it was over, the monster activated its self destruct mechanism, gathering all of its power into its most destructive canon and fired everything onto Atlas. Keith disbanded Voltron and went full speed to push the giant robot out of harm’s way, only to bear the full brunt of the damage.

 

-

 

“The therapist said that while your spinal damage was pretty severe, it won’t be impossible for you to walk normally again.” Shiro said, helping him sit on the living room sofa from his wheelchair and took Keith’s bag of belongings to the bedroom.

 

“Finally. Home sweet home…”

 

Keith’s lips quirked upwards as he looked at the photos on the wall. One of him and the paladins. Another with James and the other MFE pilots as well as commander Iverson. Another with Krolia and the Blades, as well as the cosmic wolf. And the last one was just of him and Shiro. Happy. Together.

 

He couldn’t believe that just two months ago, he came so close to never seeing all these people in his life ever again. Of never seeing Shiro, his friends… and his mother ever again. But now he was back, and that was all that mattered. The journey ahead was going to be tough. But he would be strong for Shiro. As long as Shiro was there, he would never give up.

 

The said man flopped down beside him and turned on the TV. He flipped through the channels before Keith took the remote from his hand and moved closer to his face, but Shiro backed away.

 

“I’ll get the bathroom ready. You probably want to take a shower after being stuck in the hospital for a while.”

 

Keith didn’t think much of that at first. But it happened again. And again. And again.

 

His gut told him here was something not right. Why was Shiro avoiding physical contact, to the point of almost being evasive? He was still there, yes. He was very supportive of him through all his rehab sessions. And yet why did Keith have this nagging feeling that he was being distant? If he didn’t know the other man better, he would think he was being cold.

 

The answer fell right on his lap one day, when Keith went to the Garrison, hoping to surprise Shiro and let him see that he was now capable of traveling on his own even tho he still had to use his crutches. If the message he got from Pidge was right, the meeting would be over by now. And knowing Shiro always stayed behind to work on the meeting’s discussions he took his chance and went in.

 

He never expected to see someone else in there. And for that someone else to be locked in Shiro’s arms in a heated kiss. Neither of them spoke that night. And for many more nights after. The only time they spoke again was when Shiro packed his belongings. His hand on the door, his words were filled with regret.

 

“Keith… I’m sorry. When I thought I was going to lose you, I couldn’t bear it. I needed comfort.”

 

Grimacing, Keith kept his eyes on the floor. Hands clenching into fists, his voice was soft but steady. “Of all people, from someone who looked just like your ex?”

 

“…”

 

“Tell me, Shiro. How am I supposed to compete with the dead…?”

 

Without another word, Shiro opened the door and left.

 

As if sensing he really needed a shoulder to cry on, his cosmic wolf, who had been staying with Krolia ever since he moved in with Shiro, appeared right beside him on the sofa. The moment his friend nuzzled his face, Keith felt something within him snap. He hugged the wolf tight and he cried. And cried. And cried.

 

His tears had long stopped flowing by the time sunlight filtered in from the blinds. Caressing the top of the wolf’s head, he said “Thanks for keeping me company. There’s somewhere I want to go.”

 

The next second they were gone. They reappeared at the edge of a cliff overlooking the desert. Looking down at his left hand, Keith took off the ring on his finger.

 

_‘I gave you everything. My heart. My body. My life. And yet… I wasn’t enough.’_

At the same place he where it was given, Keith tossed the ring as far as he could. Out in the sand, buried with the memories he promised to make but no longer can. As the sun rose, he hoped that he, too, could rise again from the darkest time in his life.

 

*******

 

Keith looked down, not wanting to meet the other man’s gaze. At the corner of his eye he saw something glinting, reflecting the hangar’s lights. It was a plain gold ring that he knew only too well. Because just months ago, he too, wore another one that looked just like it. On his left ring finger, where it was no longer there.

 

Keith walked towards the door, intent on passing the man as if he wasn’t there. But Shiro grabbed his left hand to stop him. “Where is it?”

 

“Gone. It wasn’t for me to keep. It was never mine in the first place.” Keith yanked his hand away.

 

Watching the Red Paladin’s retreating form, Shiro’s face was filled with regret.

 

 

The End.

**Author's Note:**

> For @shklancebeefsandwich on Tumblr, my giftee for Keith Birthday Exchange. The prompt I got was Sheith. Sorry it's late, but I hope you enjoyed(?) it? 
> 
> Since it has an open ending. It's up to you, the readers, to decide where it goes from there. :-)


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